‘Un-American’ attacks can't derail health care debate — Americans have been waiting for nearly a century for quality, affordable health care. — Health coverage for all was on the national agenda as early as 1912, thanks to Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose presidential run.

Dissent is patriotic - not — Imagine it's four years ago and an aide to President George W. Bush posted a blog on the Whitehouse.gov Web site that bemoaned Internet criticism of the Iraq war, then continued: “These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain e-mails or through casual conversations.

Limbaugh responds to David Brooks' “insane” comment — Last week House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that town-hall attendees critical of the Democratic health care makeover were “carrying swastikas and symbols like that” to meetings. The next day, Rush Limbaugh responded at length on his radio program …

GLADNEY THE UNINSURED ACTIVIST.... Over the last few days, a conservative activist in St. Louis named Kenneth Gladney seems to have become something of a cause celebre in far-right circles. Depending on which version of events you choose to believe, Gladney either initiated or was involved …

Beat Me in St. Louis (cont) — As Jim Treacher says: If Kenneth Gladney was an Obama supporter, right now he'd be more famous than Rodney King. Gotta love this “post-racial America”: Democrat union heavies can beat up a black guy using racial epithets and leave him in a wheelchair unable to speak …

I am Kenneth Gladney — OPINION/ANALYSIS: — The first round of protests against the Obama administration's chaotic and rapid-fire expansion of government came in the form of grass-roots “tea parties,” which were predictably met with scorn by the Democrat-Media Complex …

Taliban Now Winning — U.S. Commander in Afghanistan Warns of Rising Casualties — By YOCHI J. DREAZEN in Kabul and PETER SPIEGEL in Washington — The Taliban have gained the upper hand in Afghanistan, the top American commander there said, forcing the U.S. to change its strategy …

U.S. to Hunt Down Afghan Drug Lords Tied to Taliban — WASHINGTON — Fifty Afghans believed to be drug traffickers with ties to the Taliban have been placed on a Pentagon target list to be captured or killed, reflecting a major shift in American counternarcotics strategy in Afghanistan …

Averting the Worst — So it seems that we aren't going to have a second Great Depression after all. What saved us? The answer, basically, is Big Government. — Just to be clear: the economic situation remains terrible, indeed worse than almost anyone thought possible not long ago.

The Unfunny Truth — It's been a melancholy summer for social conservatives. Their movement is fighting a rearguard battle in Barack Obama's Washington. A cluster of family-values politicians — some of whom bunked down in the same Christian-sponsored D.C. townhouse …

Does Linda Douglass know about this? — Last week White House flack Linda Douglass responded to a video of Barack Obama expressing support for a government takeover of the health care system (i.e., “single payer") with a vehement denial. Douglass disparaged the video of Obama as “disinformation.”

On Health Care, 51% Fear Government More Than Insurance Companies — When it comes to health care decisions, 51% of the nation's voters fear the federal government more than private insurance companies. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% hold the opposite view and fear the insurance companies more.

Opposition Emerges to House's Jet Spree — WASHINGTON — Bipartisan opposition is emerging in the Senate to a plan by House lawmakers to spend $550 million for additional passenger jets for senior government officials. — The resistance to buying eight Gulfstream and Boeing planes comes …

Obama's Health Care Plan Just Expands Status Quo — “The status quo is unsustainable for families, businesses and government.” — President Obama, June 13 — One of the bewildering ironies of the health-care debate is that President Obama claims to be attacking the status quo when he's actually embracing it.

'IT'S NOT IN THE BILL'.... The health care discussion between Howard Dean and Newt Gingrich on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” yesterday was pretty good, and it covered a fair amount of ground in a short period of time. There was one exchange, though, that stood out for me.

Why Neoconservative Pundits Love Jon Stewart — Back in April, when the debate over torture was roaring, Jon Stewart invited Cliff May, a national-security hawk and former spokesman for the Republican Party, to come on The Daily Show and defend waterboarding. May was hesitant.

Who Are These People? — This probably isn't the ideal way for congressmen to handle their constituents: … One has the sense that lawmakers are just stunned that ordinary citizens would have the temerity to speak up. Spending most of their time with staffers, lobbyists, and fellow legislators …

PoliTex: Barton may run for Hutchison's Senate seat — No one seems to be mentioning U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Arlington, as a candidate to replace outgoing Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas. — Turns out that Barton — who came in third in the 1993 special election that Hutchison won in a runoff — is indeed thinking about running.